Deion Sanders, Tim Tebow headline AP All-Time All-America team, honoring 100 years of college football greats

The annual Associated Press All-America team tradition turns 100 with the 2025 college football season, and to celebrate the centennial, the AP constructed a pair of all-time teams honoring the greatest players to step foot on the college gridiron. Legends like Tim Tebow, Barry Sanders, Deion Sanders and Ed Reed headline the AP All-Time All-America first team, and past award winners and national champions round out the honorees in a star-studded roster.

Qualified players must have been AP first-team All-Americans at least once in their careers. Professional accolades were not considered in the process. A dozen AP college football writers participated in the voting effort and selected players across generations and eras to best represent the top All-Americans at their respective positions throughout the last century.

Ohio State and Pittsburgh are the most well-represented programs on the first team with three selections apiece, and both schools boasted a second-team honoree, to boot. The Big Ten has the most first-team picks of any conference with seven (excluding players whose programs joined the league after their careers). The SEC finished second on that leaderboard.

Tebow is the first-team selection at the quarterback spot and represents one of five Heisman Trophy winners on the squad. Of the 25 players on the first team, 21 are already in the College Football Hall of Fame, two are on the ballot and two are not yet far enough removed from their careers to be eligible.

First team offense

First team defense

Second team offense

Second team defense